- Original Poster
- #1
the history!!!
week 1
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=141623&highlight=week
Week 2
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=142509&highlight=week
Week 3
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=143263&highlight=week
Week 4 and 5
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=145226&highlight=week
And now.........week 6!!!
The busiest and smoothest week by a LONG WAY!!!!!
After a month of things still being new and alien, i've finally settled into a more relaxed routine for doing things. It's been really vital to me to get the business into a routine and working around my other committments as I am STILL in full time, mon-fri, 9-5 employment while I establish the business
TO be honest, i've been abusing my employers flexibility and generosity over the past month, but i've burnt the midnight oil to ensure my paid employment and my future business are both given the attention they deserve (and that I owe my boss!)
Though, I'm not sure i would have taken the leap to doing this if I didn't have the safety blanket of a regular wage behind me. I THINK I would have, but the timing would have been a bit different - i.e. tomorrow!!
Anyway, a couple of local business people I know (who have been very supportive in many ways) have all suggested that the best thing I could do is keep my job for as long as possible - if necessary, find an employee to do many of the jobs you can't squeeze into a day. And that is what I have been doing - and I've been really lucky that the guy I've found to help me isn't looking for a permanent job, is happy with flexible hours, is smart, reliable and I can put him in front of customers and he has a lot of committment.
I know it's only short term - for us both - but it's been great having him to fill in the gaps when I can't physically do it myself.
So, whats happened since week 1.
Well, i'm now no longer doing blanket leaflet drops - the whole town has had a flyer at least twice now and i'm now targetting the areas where i have customers already.
Each time I drop a leaflet in an area i'm getting much better response rates. What was that old advertising quote about needing to tell people "what you are about to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you've told them" before the penny drops - well, that's starting to happen now.
I'm also getting calls from people who know someone who tried it or people who've seen the van in the area - so after a month, it seems people recognise the van, have heard about the service, have seen a flyer and are now acting on it.
So, we've established a nice set of regular customers now and we are still getting new customers.
As we have a number of set runs in each area and because the van is out most nights now, fitting in new customers is much easier and the runs to the market are more routine now. SO the problems of trying to get a new customer their delivery ASAP without expensive extra market runs is starting to go away.
It's been nice looking back over the weeks and seeing both the same old customers come back as well as the new ones join. and also watching the weekly sales figures increase.
There have been several developments on the business side of things too
1st off, I'm still having some system problems - but as of last night one of the biggest ones was overcome. This is great news and makes the process of getting the orders in a lot easier. I'd actually reigned in taking on new customers for the last fortnight until this was sorted as I didn't want to mess up orders, miss something or make a mistake that would impact a customer and ultimately reflect badly on the business. Now that the system is doing what I need it too, I feel a lot more comfortable to push on driving volumes up again.
This weekend sees me go into the retail market!! I'd never planned to do this (actually, i did, but in about 2 years I thought it might be nice to have a wee farm shop - but it was really for the Future Mrs SB to work in when she is out on maternity leave!!!)
Anyway, a local business has been VERY supportive and are giving me over the front of their shop to set up Fruit and Veg stall at the weekends. (lets not pretend it won't also benefit them, but it REALLY helps me)
So, i had to get a few Point Of Sale banners and an A-Frame made up to advertise the new "shop" opening!
I'm really looking forward to this, it's another chance for me to speak directly to customers and it's a unique opportunity for me to show customers the quality of produce they will get via the delivery service. Most people like to touch/feel and select their own fruit and veg and I know it's put some off not being able to do that. Now I have a shop they can come see it, ask questions, hopefully that'll give them the confidence to place an order for a box.
I guess it'll also give me some more 1st hand retail experience - been 16 years since I worked in a shop - and that was selling clothes! Which will help me when i set up the farm shop for the Future Mrs SB!
This week saw me enter the "corporate" market too - with my 1st order for a company wanting fruit delivered to the workers. I had plans to enter this market in the future (once the 9-5 job was put to the side) so it was nice to get this one out of the blue. It works out to be really handy for me - it's near where the market is - so I drop it in on the way back - if nothing else, it pays the petrol for going to the market that day! never a bad thing! But now that i'm doing it, i'll target the other companies in that area and see if I can drum up some business.
I've also been approached by a few unlikely sources (not on here) with a suggestion on how to grow more sales. Now, I'm particularly excited about this - but I'm not telling you lot what that is yet! If it works and takes off, I'll let you know.
No complaints this week, and been able to spend a bit of time with the customers - giving them a few recipes and a bit more value add to the service than just giving them some fruit and veg. Also, as I learn more about my customers, i've become a it of a social conduit - i've put some business the way of a few local tradesmen based on conversations i've had with customers and their needs. In future, I'll be looking at ways I can make this an income stream, but for now it's jsut noce to be able to help folk out and hopefully that helpfullness will be remembered and passed on and will stand me in good stead.
Anyway, night off tonight, wine shall flow!
Cheers
SB
week 1
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=141623&highlight=week
Week 2
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=142509&highlight=week
Week 3
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=143263&highlight=week
Week 4 and 5
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=145226&highlight=week
And now.........week 6!!!
The busiest and smoothest week by a LONG WAY!!!!!
After a month of things still being new and alien, i've finally settled into a more relaxed routine for doing things. It's been really vital to me to get the business into a routine and working around my other committments as I am STILL in full time, mon-fri, 9-5 employment while I establish the business
TO be honest, i've been abusing my employers flexibility and generosity over the past month, but i've burnt the midnight oil to ensure my paid employment and my future business are both given the attention they deserve (and that I owe my boss!)
Though, I'm not sure i would have taken the leap to doing this if I didn't have the safety blanket of a regular wage behind me. I THINK I would have, but the timing would have been a bit different - i.e. tomorrow!!
Anyway, a couple of local business people I know (who have been very supportive in many ways) have all suggested that the best thing I could do is keep my job for as long as possible - if necessary, find an employee to do many of the jobs you can't squeeze into a day. And that is what I have been doing - and I've been really lucky that the guy I've found to help me isn't looking for a permanent job, is happy with flexible hours, is smart, reliable and I can put him in front of customers and he has a lot of committment.
I know it's only short term - for us both - but it's been great having him to fill in the gaps when I can't physically do it myself.
So, whats happened since week 1.
Well, i'm now no longer doing blanket leaflet drops - the whole town has had a flyer at least twice now and i'm now targetting the areas where i have customers already.
Each time I drop a leaflet in an area i'm getting much better response rates. What was that old advertising quote about needing to tell people "what you are about to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you've told them" before the penny drops - well, that's starting to happen now.
I'm also getting calls from people who know someone who tried it or people who've seen the van in the area - so after a month, it seems people recognise the van, have heard about the service, have seen a flyer and are now acting on it.
So, we've established a nice set of regular customers now and we are still getting new customers.
As we have a number of set runs in each area and because the van is out most nights now, fitting in new customers is much easier and the runs to the market are more routine now. SO the problems of trying to get a new customer their delivery ASAP without expensive extra market runs is starting to go away.
It's been nice looking back over the weeks and seeing both the same old customers come back as well as the new ones join. and also watching the weekly sales figures increase.
There have been several developments on the business side of things too
1st off, I'm still having some system problems - but as of last night one of the biggest ones was overcome. This is great news and makes the process of getting the orders in a lot easier. I'd actually reigned in taking on new customers for the last fortnight until this was sorted as I didn't want to mess up orders, miss something or make a mistake that would impact a customer and ultimately reflect badly on the business. Now that the system is doing what I need it too, I feel a lot more comfortable to push on driving volumes up again.
This weekend sees me go into the retail market!! I'd never planned to do this (actually, i did, but in about 2 years I thought it might be nice to have a wee farm shop - but it was really for the Future Mrs SB to work in when she is out on maternity leave!!!)
Anyway, a local business has been VERY supportive and are giving me over the front of their shop to set up Fruit and Veg stall at the weekends. (lets not pretend it won't also benefit them, but it REALLY helps me)
So, i had to get a few Point Of Sale banners and an A-Frame made up to advertise the new "shop" opening!
I'm really looking forward to this, it's another chance for me to speak directly to customers and it's a unique opportunity for me to show customers the quality of produce they will get via the delivery service. Most people like to touch/feel and select their own fruit and veg and I know it's put some off not being able to do that. Now I have a shop they can come see it, ask questions, hopefully that'll give them the confidence to place an order for a box.
I guess it'll also give me some more 1st hand retail experience - been 16 years since I worked in a shop - and that was selling clothes! Which will help me when i set up the farm shop for the Future Mrs SB!
This week saw me enter the "corporate" market too - with my 1st order for a company wanting fruit delivered to the workers. I had plans to enter this market in the future (once the 9-5 job was put to the side) so it was nice to get this one out of the blue. It works out to be really handy for me - it's near where the market is - so I drop it in on the way back - if nothing else, it pays the petrol for going to the market that day! never a bad thing! But now that i'm doing it, i'll target the other companies in that area and see if I can drum up some business.
I've also been approached by a few unlikely sources (not on here) with a suggestion on how to grow more sales. Now, I'm particularly excited about this - but I'm not telling you lot what that is yet! If it works and takes off, I'll let you know.
No complaints this week, and been able to spend a bit of time with the customers - giving them a few recipes and a bit more value add to the service than just giving them some fruit and veg. Also, as I learn more about my customers, i've become a it of a social conduit - i've put some business the way of a few local tradesmen based on conversations i've had with customers and their needs. In future, I'll be looking at ways I can make this an income stream, but for now it's jsut noce to be able to help folk out and hopefully that helpfullness will be remembered and passed on and will stand me in good stead.
Anyway, night off tonight, wine shall flow!
Cheers
SB
